Rep. Duncan Hunter and his wife, Margaret, are scheduled to be back in court Dec. 3 for a status conference on charges they illegally used more than $250,000 in campaign funds to fund their lavish lifestyles and filed false campaign finance records to cover it up.
The couple appeared in federal court in downtown San Diego Monday morning where their attorneys asked for more time to go through the thousands of pages of documents amassed in the case as part of the federal probe.
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L-r, Judy Harrington and Candy Smiley protested outside the courthouse where Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr. appeared in Federal Court in San Diego on Monday, Sept. 24 for a status hearing on his case. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Protesters heckled Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr. as he walked up the ramp to the new courthouse building in downtown San Diego. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr. right, appeared in Federal Court in San Diego with his attorney Gregory Vega, left, on Monday, Sept. 24 for a status hearing on his case. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Protesters heckled Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr. as he walked up the ramp to the new courthouse building in downtown San Diego. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Larry Cousins held his sign for Rep Hunter to hopefully see. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr. third from right, after he appeared in Federal Court in San Diego with his attorney Gregory Vega, second from right , on Monday, Sept. 24 for a status hearing on his case. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Protester Judy Harrington made reference to one of the more controversial expenses Hunter allegedly paid for with campaign funds. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Protesters gathered outside of the courtroom with shopping bags from many of the places the Hunter’s are charged with spending campaign contributions. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr., right, leaves after he appeared in Federal Court in San Diego with his attorney Gregory Vega on Monday, Sept. 24 for a status hearing on his case. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Protesters dogged him during his every move outside the courtroom. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr. leaves the courthouse complex after he appeared in Federal Court in San Diego on Monday, Sept. 24 for a status hearing on his case. He and his wife are charged with numerous counts of misappropriation of campaign funds. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Congressman Duncan Hunter leaves San Diego federal court Monday morning where he and his wife, Margaret Hunter, appeared for a status hearing. They are charged with misspending political donations on personal items. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Margaret Hunter leaves federal court in San Diego where she and her husband, Congressman Duncan Hunter appeared for a status hearing. They are charged with misspending political donations on personal items. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Congressman Duncan Hunter is met with protestors outside as he leaves San Diego federal court Monday morning where he and his wife, Margaret Hunter, appeared for a status hearing. They are charged with misspending political donations on personal items. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Protestors stood outside of the federal court building in San Diego waiting for the arrival of Congressman Duncan Hunter and his wife, Margaret Hunter. They are charged with misspending political donations on personal items. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Congressman Duncan Hunter leaves San Diego federal court Monday morning where he and his wife, Margaret Hunter, appeared for a status hearing. They are charged with misspending political donations on personal items. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Congressman Duncan Hunter leaves San Diego federal court Monday morning where he and his wife, Margaret Hunter, appeared for a status hearing. They are charged with misspending political donations on personal items. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Congressman Duncan Hunter leaves San Diego federal court Monday morning where he and his wife, Margaret Hunter, appeared for a status hearing. They are charged with misspending political donations on personal items. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Protestors stood outside of the federal court building in San Diego waiting for the arrival of Congressman Duncan Hunter and his wife, Margaret Hunter. They are charged with misspending political donations on personal items. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Congressman Duncan Hunter leaves San Diego federal court Monday morning where he and his wife, Margaret Hunter, appeared for a status hearing. They are charged with misspending political donations on personal items. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Congressman Duncan Hunter leaves San Diego federal court Monday morning where he and his wife, Margaret Hunter, appeared for a status hearing. They are charged with misspending political donations on personal items. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Margaret Hunter leaves federal court in San Diego where she and her husband, Congressman Duncan Hunter appeared for a status hearing. They are charged with misspending political donations on personal items. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Congressman Duncan Hunter leaves San Diego federal court Monday morning where he and his wife, Margaret Hunter, appeared for a status hearing. They are charged with misspending political donations on personal items. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Thomas McNamara, the attorney for Margaret Hunter, asked U.S. District Judge Thomas J. Whelan to give the defense “several months” before scheduling another status conference, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Allen said that was too long for what she characterized as a straightforward embezzlement case.
“This is a very simple case, when it comes down to it,’’ Allen told the judge, noting the government’s speedy trial rights.
McNamara said it took the government 2 1/2 years to investigate the case. “It’s not a simple case for us,” McNamara said.
Whelan set the new hearing two months out, citing the amount of documents and saying it was in the interest of justice. With more than 200 overt acts alleged in a 60-count indictment, the judge said the defense request was not “unreasonable.’’
The Republican congressman and his wife — who arrived in court separately — were greeted outside the courthouse by more than a dozen demonstrators. At one point, some in the group chanted, “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Duncan Hunter must go,” as one man beat on a drum.
Margaret Hunter leaves federal court in San Diego where she and her husband, Congressman Duncan Hunter appeared for a status hearing.
(Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Last month, Duncan Hunter and Margaret Hunter pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, falsification of records and aiding and abetting in the prohibited use of campaign contributions.
According to the indictment, the Hunters used campaign funds to pay for trips, meals, video games, private school tuition, oral surgery and a garage door for their Alpine home.
Hunter also reported spending $600 on an airline ticket to fly the family pet rabbit across the country.
After the brief hearing Monday, Duncan Hunter was trailed by protesters and photographers as he left the courthouse, crossed Front Street and ducked into an office building. Some could be heard chanting, “Lock him up.”
One protester dressed in a rabbit costume, held a sign that read, “Hoppy trail to jail.”
Attorneys for Duncan Hunter and Margaret Hunter did not make statements to reporters outside the courthouse.
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